Screening
Screening
Collecting data on the heights and weights of patients within a practice will provide a picture of the magnitude of the problem of obesity within individual surgeries and localities. Statistically, symptoms a general practitioner with 1800 patients is likely to have 250 or more adult patients who are obese.1 Areas of high social deprivation can expect to have a higher percentage.
Highlighting the Problem
Simple awareness-raising posters/leaflets could be set in place to draw patients’ attention to the importance of obesity treatment and prevention, order especially in high-risk situations e.g. smoking cessation.
References
1. Chambers R, mind Wakley G. Obesity and overweight matters in primary care. Oxon: Radcliffe Medical Press, order 2002.
2. Laws R. Current approaches to obesity management in UK Primary Care: the counterweight programme. J Hum Nutr Diet 2004;17(3):183–190.
3. Laws R, Reckless J. Differences in disease prevalence between obese and normal weight individuals. Int J Obes 2003;27(Suppl. 1):S83.
4. McCombie L, Lean M. The impact of obesity on prescribing resources in primary care. Int J Obes 2003;27(Suppl. 1):27.